SIX SIMPLE, SUSTAINABLE SWAPS THAT COULD SAVE YOU £1670 A YEAR

Life is getting more expensive by the minute and we’re all looking for ways to increase the cash in our pockets. There are huge savings to be made by investing in reusable and sustainable versions of things you use everyday. We’ve put together 6 switches you can make to start saving money. If your family of 4 did everything on this list you could save over £1670 a year!

1. Fabric towels > paper towels

Drying hands, sorting spills and general cleaning, towels are a necessity. Paper towels are made from trees which take decades to grow. Trees are brilliant at absorbing some of the excess CO2 we produce, cutting them down just so we can dry our hands is not very smart. What’s the sustainable option? Washable towels. We use fabric towels in the bathroom, so why not the whole house? By switching from paper to fabric towels for as little as £15 for a set, you could save hundreds a year. Granted, you need to wash them, but throw them in with your normal towels, pop a pile where the kitchen roll used to be and start saving money and trees.

2. LED light bulbs > regular lightbulbs

Fancy £91 off your energy bill?

Swapping a traditional 100 watt bulb for a LED will save you £13 per bulb, per year. Older incandescent bulbs require up to 80% more energy as they produce a lot of heat. Using less energy benefits your pocket, but also means less fossil fuels are being burned. Arguably LED bulbs are pricier than incandescent bulbs, at about £5 each, so this swap might be best done when your old incandescent bulb comes to the end of it’s life.

3. Reusable coffee cup > single-use coffee cup

Treat yourself and save £130 a year.

After the initial investment on your fabulous, personalised reusable cup, with a lid that actually stays in place (no more coffee dribbling on your t-shirt or sloshing about in the car) you can cash in on savings at coffee shops. Some high street chains like Pret a Manger will give you 50p off the price of your drink in a reusable cup. Costa will give you an extra stamp on your loyalty card, meaning you only buy 4 drinks instead of 8 to get a free one. If you’re a caffeine addict, this one is a no brainer.

4. Fabric make-up pads > single-use cotton pads

Look good whilst saving £11

for the skincare lovers, and this swap doesn’t even require investment. To grow 1kg of cotton (the same size a t-shirt) it requires the same amount of drinking water as one person needs for 2.5 years! That and the nasty pesticides involved in growing cotton means a reusable option is much more sustainable than throwing away hundreds of pads each year. You can cut your own fabric pads from an old t-shirt or towel. It’s best to pop them into a little bag if washing in the machine so they don’t escape. If you want to buy a set of soft fabric wipes, that come with a handy little washing bag, it’ll set you back just £2 and you’ll get savings after less than 2 months.

5. Vape > single use vape

£820 up in smoke.

Single use vapes contain precious elements like lithium, an important component in electric vehicle batteries. Vapes are also wrapped in plastic that can’t be recycled. Single use vape pens are not only terrible for the environment, they’re awful for your finances. If you vape everyday you could be burning through an extra £820 every year.

Even if you keep vaping to when you socialise at the weekend, single use vapes could be costing you 3 times as much as a reusable device.

6. Bidet > toilet paper

Roll up for £250 worth of savings.

British people can feel a bit weird discussing what goes on in the loo, but bidets are the preferred way to clean up in many countries. A family of 4 flushes £250 worth of toilet roll down the drain every year.

Simple wall mounted hand-held bidets start from around £25 and you’d expect to use around £18 of additional water for 4 people.

These swaps won’t just save you money, they’ll help to conserve resources. The planets resources are running out quickly and we urgently need to change the way we consume to be able to continue to enjoy everyday things we take for granted. Reusing things to reduce the amount of stuff we throw away is a vital stage in the loop/Is vital to stay in the loop.

Learn more about being in the loop.